Who's Next in Line to the Throne After King Charles?
Princess Charlotte of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales
The announcement that King Charles is battling an undisclosed form of cancer has brought renewed attention to the British royal family's line of succession and who's next in line to the throne.
Charles became monarch less than two years ago when 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth died Sept. 8, 2022. At 73, he set the record as the oldest person to accede to the British throne. No matter how brief his reign at this point, it won't be the shortest in England's history. That distinction belongs to young Lady Jane Grey, who was on the throne just nine days.
Here's everything to know about who is next in line to the throne, whether Charles abdicate the throne, what happens to Queen Camilla when Charles dies and more.
Related: What We Know About King Charles' Health
Who will inherit the throne upon the death of King Charles?
When King Charles dies, his eldest son, Prince William is set to take over as the next monarch. William, 41, is currently the Prince of Wales, a title he inherited from Charles. He's also known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland and the Duke of Cornwall when he is visiting the South West of England.
What will happen to Queen Camilla when Charles dies?
While Charles is king, Camilla's official title is queen consort. With the blessing of the late Queen Elizabeth, she was crowned queen alongside Charles at his grandiose coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.
When Charles dies or abdicates the throne, Camilla will retain her title of queen consort despite the numerous scandals involving Charles, his marriage and divorce with Diana Spencer, and the couple's eventual marriage in 2005.
Charles will no doubt make his wishes known but Camilla's future—where she lives, her roles and responsibilities—lies solely at the hands of the future monarch, in this case William.
Will Kate Middleton be queen when William becomes king?
Kate Middleton, currently the first Princess of Wales since Princess Diana, would become queen when William becomes queen.
Who is the new heir to the royal throne?
When William becomes king, his eldest son George will become the latest heir. The 10-year-old is currently Prince George of Wales.
How does the line of succession go?
After William comes his eldest child, George, who is 10. Then comes Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. They are the two youngest children of William and his wife Kate Middleton.
Related: See Queen Elizabeth's Full Family Tree and the Complete Line of Succession—All 24 Names!
Where is Prince Harry in the line of succession?
Harry is sixth in line, coming after Prince Louis. The younger son of Charles and Diana falls after all of his nieces and nephews. Harry holds the title despite removing himself from royal duties and moving to North America with his family. He and his wife Meghan Markle made headlines in the past few years by revealing controversial details about the hassle they received during their time in Buckingham Palace.
Additionally, Harry and Meghan's children will serve as seventh and eighth in line. Archie is currently 4, while Lilibet—named after the common nickname Queen Elizabeth received from her family—was born in June 2021.
Where is Prince Andrew in the line of succession?
Andrew, the younger son of Elizabeth and Phillip, still exists in the line of succession. He falls ninth after Lilibet. However, the Duke of York announced in 2019 that he would be resigning from public duties after a scandal involving a sex abuse lawsuit bringing to light that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had coerced a woman to have sex with the royal.
Despite speculation in the wait for Charles to ascend to the throne that he could be planning a slimmer monarchy, it's unlikely that he will cut his brother out of the line of succession or strip of any remaining titles. Andrew has always stepped back from official duties and the removal of titles or line of succession would require an act of Parliament.
Next, See 53 of the Best Vintage Photos of Queen Elizabeth Through the Years
